Daddy's Perfect Princess (The Shape of Love Book 1) Read online

  “You’re hurting.” It was a statement, not a question, but she found herself nodding anyway. “Well then, take something. And make sure you’re drinking enough water. Are you eating enough?”

  The last question had her blinking at him in surprise. “Eating enough?”

  He growled—literally growled—and her knees turned to rubber. “Are you following the plan I gave you and eating all your meals? And eating the portion sizes I told you to?”

  “Ah…Yeah.” Mostly. Really, the portion sizes were ridiculous.

  “You better be. I meant what I said, princess. Follow the plan.”

  “I am following the plan. Jesus, lighten up.”

  There it was again, that flash of something in his eyes. It sure as hell looked like lust, but a much darker, more dangerous version than anything she’d encountered before. Then it was gone, and he was just her surly personal trainer again. “Follow. The. Plan. See you Friday.”

  He walked away and she didn’t bother resisting the urge to stick her tongue out at his back. A loud chuckle caught her attention and she spun around, mortified to find a large, tattooed man grinning at her as he curled his arm to his chest. Without a word to the man, she raced for the door and the relative safety of her car.

  She followed the plan, at least for the most part, for about two weeks. The following Thursday, everything seemed to fall apart. Work had been an absolute disaster, with not one but three clients calling in a panic because the server had somehow eaten their files. She’d left at six, but the IT department was still working on getting them back.

  God, she wanted some chocolate. A big, creamy chocolate bar. With almonds. She could practically hear the candy calling her name. But she’d promised herself she wouldn’t give in. Not this time. But she desperately needed something to take the edge off. With chocolate and sex off the table, she changed into some workout gear and drove to a local park.

  She sat in the car, watching the joggers on the little trail for nearly thirty minutes before she worked up the courage to get out of the car. It was a gorgeous summer day, the kind people wrote songs about, and it seemed like everyone and their mother was at the park. She took her time stretching, even though Fox had lectured her at length about not doing her “static stretching” as he’d called it before getting warmed up. But she needed something to give her time to continue working up the nerve to actually step on the track. Finally, after another ten minutes of stretching and telling herself she was being ridiculous, Mindy got on the track.

  “Okay, not so bad,” she mumbled to herself as she began to walk. Everyone seemed to be in their own little world, not paying any attention to the fat girl on the track. Using her watch, she timed herself for a five-minute warm up. When her alarm dinged, she began to jog.

  Coming around the bend, she felt her stomach drop to her knees. A pack of teenagers sat on a blanket near the track. What the hell were they doing here? Shouldn’t they be at a party or smoking under the bleachers or something? Not here, at her park, watching and judging as she ran her thirty-something ass off. She prayed as she passed them that she would be momentarily invisible.

  No such luck. The moment she passed them, one of the boys let loose with a loud “Moo!” and the rest of the group howled with laughter at his oh-so-hilarious and definitely original joke. Mindy’s cheeks burned, and tears stung her eyes, but she pushed on. She picked up the pace, until she was running faster than she did on Fox’s god-forsaken treadmill.

  Her legs ached. Her chest burned as she struggled to drag in enough air. Where was that runner’s high everyone always talked about? God, she wanted some chocolate. But she dug deep and kept pushing forward.

  She was so lost in her own misery, she almost didn’t see him coming. And she didn’t see him, in fact, until it was far too late to do anything. Her eyes connected with Fox’s as he passed her going the opposite way on the trail. Great, just what she needed. Maybe he wouldn’t say anything and she could just go home and die in peace.

  Again, the universe was not with her. A strong hand wrapped around her upper arm and she was unceremoniously yanked to a stop and marched off the track. He spun her to face him, and despite feeling like she might pass out at any second, she felt that rush of desire she was beginning to think would never fade in his presence. Especially when he was looking at her like he was now, with fury flaring in his eyes.

  “What the fuck do you think you’re doing? Haven’t I told you, several times, to stick to the plan?” He gave her arm a little shake.

  Mindy held up a hand to indicate she needed a minute and he swore again.

  “Didn’t even bring any water.” He shoved his own water bottle into her hand. “Drink.” He continued his ranting as she gratefully obeyed, sucking down the life-giving elixir that at least helped to ease the burning in her chest. “I swear, I have half a mind to take you back to my place and…” he trailed off, shaking his head.

  But Mindy’s curiosity dug its talons into her. “And wh-what?” She gasped, still working on calming her wild breathing.

  Fox’s eyes locked with hers, and she got the distinct impression that he was sizing her up. There was a long, tense silence before he responded. “And paddle your ass red for this stunt.”

  The words rang like a gong in her ears. “What?” He hadn’t just said that. This gorgeous man had not just said he wanted to spank her. No, she’d over-exerted herself with the jogging and passed out, and this was just a really pleasant dream she was having.

  He shook his head and scrubbed a hand over his face. “Forget it. I shouldn’t have said that.”

  “Do it.” The words leapt from her mouth, beings of her own creation that she had no ability to control.

  Fox froze, staring at her with an unreadable expression. “What was that?”

  She didn’t know if she had the nerve to say it twice, but dammit she was going to try. If this was only a dream, it would be a really excellent one. And if it was real… She almost couldn’t bring herself to hope that it was. “I said do it. Spank me.”

  They watched each other, two boxers circling each other in the ring, each deciding on their next move. He threw the next punch. “Okay. Come with me.” Wrapping his hand around her arm again, he led her to a Jeep with the top down and opened the passenger door for her. “Get in.”

  Her heart was still racing for reasons that had nothing to do with her impromptu run as she climbed up. When he joined her and started the engine, he immediately began to lecture as he drove. “What’s the plan say, Mindy?”

  The plan? What plan? Oh. His plan. She flipped through her mental files. “What part of the plan, specifically?”

  She wasn’t being a smart ass, but his low growl told her she was on thin ice. She nearly came right there, in the passenger seat of his Jeep, just from that sound. “About rest days.”

  “Oh.” She wrinkled her nose as she thought back. “I’m supposed to have them?”

  “Jesus. Yes, you’re supposed to have them. You can go for a light walk, but nothing more strenuous than that, at least for now. You are not supposed to be running yourself to death on your rest days.”

  “Well I didn’t know that. I just thought it meant to rest from being at the gym, with you.” Another lie. She just hadn’t even considered the idea of a rest day when she’d gone to the park.

  “What’s your full name?”

  “Why?”

  Another low growl. “Because I asked you, little girl.”

  Fuck. If he kept calling her little girl like that, she really was going to come right then and there. “I’m not little.”

  “You’re little to me. And right now, as the man who’s about to blister your ass, that’s all that matters. Full name. Now.”

  “Melinda.”

  “Middle name?”

  She huffed out a breath and crossed her arms over her chest. “Rose. Happy now?”

  “Yeah, actually. So, Melinda Rose. Did you really think that about rest days? Or are you lying to me
again?”

  The insult of it washed over her and fury began to overtake the desire she’d been feeling from the moment he’d threatened to spank her. “I have never lied to you!”

  “At the coffee shop. I know damn good and well you didn’t stop for a coffee with two Splendas and skim milk. But we can talk more about that in a minute.” He whipped the Jeep into an empty spot and yanked on the parking brake. “Wait right there.”

  He left her sitting there, fuming as he jogged around to the passenger side. Opening the door, he reached across her waist and unsnapped the belt buckle. Taking her hand in his, he tugged and she obediently followed. His apartment complex was nice, nothing special but it was well-kept and in a decent neighborhood. He started to lead her up the stairs, but her legs instantly rebelled and she whimpered at the flare of pain.

  Fox glanced over at her and frowned. “Sorry. Force of habit. We can take the elevator.”

  “No, I can do it. I’m not so fat I can’t climb some damn stairs,” she snapped, irritated with her body for betraying her, humiliated that he’d noticed.

  Before she could even blink, she found herself pinned against the wall of the stairwell, Fox’s huge arms caging her in, his face mere inches from hers. “I never said you were. You’re not fat, and every time you make a comment like that, your bottom is going to pay the price. Now, be a good girl and stop arguing with me.”

  She couldn’t do more than nod her head, thanks to the frantic pounding of her heart. That was apparently good enough for Fox, who nodded sharply in return and grabbed her hand again to lead her out of the stairwell.

  The ride in the elevator was short, but tense. Mindy’s mind raced as she considered the implications of what was about to happen. Would he want her to take her clothes off? The idea of a man as sexy as Fox seeing her without clothes was terrifying. She’d just have to lay some ground rules before they began.

  When the elevator stopped, he hauled her through the open doors again and down the hall. They stopped just long enough for him to unlock his door and practically shove her inside.

  She spun to face him, taking a deep breath to steel herself for the conversation she needed to have. “Look, Fox, I think we need some ground rules.”

  That stopped him in his tracks. He crossed his arms over his chest and glared down at her. “What kind of rules, princess?”

  “For starters, all of my clothing stays on. I’m not getting naked in front of you. And you can only use your hand, at least this time.”

  A storm of emotions flickered across his face. “I see.” He took a step forward and she silently cursed herself when she took two backwards. “You’re under the impression this is a game. A little role play, maybe?”

  “Well… yes.” Her voice was little more than a squeak.

  “Wrong, princess. You fucked up and I’m going to paddle your bottom until you never even think of going off plan again. This is discipline, pure and simple. So here are my rules.”

  He’d been advancing on her as he spoke and she found herself once again with her back pressed to the wall and his arms trapping her. “One, I am going to peel those pretty little leggings down to your knees before I spank you. Little girls who lie and don’t do as they’re told get spanked on their bare bottom. Always.”

  She felt faint. Virtually felt her head go light as air at his words. This was every secret fantasy she’d ever had come to life.

  “Next. I am going to use a paddle, because I consider this a safety issue and I will not allow you to take risks with your safety. We also have the little issue of you lying to me. In the future, I will probably add a lengthy session with my belt for lying about breaking the rules, but I’m giving you some leniency since this is our first time.”

  Mindy pinched her leg and winced at the sharp pain. Fox frowned at her. “What did you do that for?”

  “Making sure I’m not dreaming,” she replied breathlessly.

  His features softened, just a fraction. “Not a dream, princess. This is very real. Come with me.”

  Chapter 8

  Fox took her hand again and led her through a door to his bedroom. She felt like she was walking on clouds. Was this actually happening? Was she really about to get a spanking, not just for fun or role playing, but an honest to goodness discipline spanking?

  Fox led her to a bare corner of his bedroom and turned her to face the wall. “Hands on your head.” She quickly complied with the gruff order, and her heart tripped over itself when she felt his fingers in the waistband of her leggings.

  “Fox,” she trailed off, unsure of what she wanted to say next.

  “They’re coming down, little girl. We already talked about this.”

  “Yes, I know, it’s just,” she was mortified to hear the tears in her voice, “I don’t want you to see me. I’m not, you know.”

  “I don’t know. Not what, Melinda?”

  “I’m not skinny like the girls you’re used to!” she blurted out, tears blurring her vision.

  “And thank God for that.”

  Of all the answers she’d prepared herself for, that hadn’t even been on the radar. “What?”

  He leaned down, his breath tickling her ear as he spoke. “I love the way you look. I love your round bottom, your bouncy breasts, every single inch of you. I’ve had to fight to keep my hands off you since the moment you walked into my gym.”

  Pinch test be damned, this was definitely a dream. “You don’t mean that,” she replied instinctively. The idea of a man finding her sexy, as she was and not as she potentially could be, was beyond her ability to comprehend.

  “I’m going to let that one slide. But we have some work to do, me and you. Now, your leggings are coming down and I don’t want another word about it, or your weight, or I will take my belt to your bottom when we’re finished. Understood?”

  The emotions raging inside of her robbed her ability to speak, so she simply nodded. Squeezing her eyes shut, she held her breath as he tugged her leggings and her panties to her knees.

  “You’re beautiful,” he murmured, one huge hand stroking her bare skin until she trembled. “But you’ll be even more beautiful with this bottom painted a nice pretty red. Stay in the corner until I call for you.”

  She could hear him moving around the room as she waited. And waited. And waited some more. She was nearly convinced he’d forgotten about her when he finally called her name. And suddenly, she wished she could wait a little while longer.

  “I said come here, Melinda Rose. It’s only going to be worse if I have to come get you.”

  She slowly turned, reaching down to pull her leggings into place.

  “Stop right there, little girl. Hands on your head and come here.”

  Her lower lip pushing out into a pout that she couldn’t seem to stop even as it humiliated her, she lifted her hands back to her head and shuffled over to him. Fox’s large hands settled on her hips, pulling her between his legs.

  “Are you listening to me, little girl?”

  Mindy nodded.

  “Good. In a moment here, I’m going to put you over my knee and give you a good, hard spanking, followed by a paddling you won’t forget any time soon. Because you didn’t follow my instructions, which put your health at risk. And you’ve lied to me, twice. Do you understand why you’re getting a spanking, Melinda?”

  “Yes,” she whispered, her voice hoarse from the emotions clawing at her throat.

  “Good girl. Over you go.” He gently guided her over his left knee, with her torso resting on the bed.

  The first crack of his open palm on her bare skin was the sweetest pain she’d ever felt. This was it. She was getting a real spanking. The sting quickly faded and she was a little disappointed it didn’t hurt more. Then his hand connected again, and she moaned at the delicious burn.

  Fox chuckled. “You’re not supposed to enjoy this, princess.” But the gravelly tone of his voice, along with the very impressive erection pressing into her hip said he was enjoying it just as
much as she was.

  He spanked her again, harder this time, and she winced. If he kept that up, it wasn’t going to take much for her to reach her limit. Another spank, just as hard, and she hissed at the pain. “That really hurts now!”

  “Does it? Good.” He swatted her two more times, one to each bare cheek. “Maybe you’ll learn your lesson.”

  She wiggled against his hold, but his arm around her waist just tightened, pinning her still. The strength of him thrilled her. Being a woman who was taller and heavier than average, it wasn’t easy to find a man who could hold her over his knee with such ease. It made her feel delicate, and feminine. She knew then that even if he just wanted to go back to their professional arrangement after this, she would be forever grateful to him for this experience. For making her feel like this, even just once.

  The next swat, delivered to the full lower part of her bottom, snapped her out of her dreamy contemplation. Damn, his hand hurt. Why the hell did he need a paddle when his hand was apparently made of iron?

  He spanked with slow, methodical strokes until she was whimpering softly with each painful swat. Her bottom felt uncomfortably warm, but not more than she could handle when he stopped.

  “Now that you’re all warmed up, your spanking can begin.” Something cool tapped against her bottom. “Ever been spanked with Lexan, princess?”

  Lexan? Holy shit. “No, but I’ve heard of it.”

  “Good. This is a serious paddle for a list of very serious offenses. Give me your right hand.”

  Mindy reluctantly moved her right hand behind her. He linked his fingers with hers and pinned her arm behind her back. With her upper body immobilized, he delivered the first blazing swat with the paddle.

  Had she thought his hand was hard? It was nothing compared to the deep, burning sting of the paddle. She sucked in a breath—then held it when the paddle fell again. It was another two horrid, excruciating swats before she could breathe again. “Fox! Please!” she managed before the paddle cracked against her bare skin again.